The present invention relates to a media system, and in particular an entertainment system. Embodiments of the invention relate to a remote control of the type which is hand held and which can be coupled via coded infrared signals with a remote control receiver built into one of the components of the entertainment system. The remote control allows the remote control receiver to turn on the component, or apparatus, at a distance, to adjust the volume, tone, and brightness, to change channels, to turn the apparatus off and to perform other functions.
Heretofore it has been proposed to provide a reconfigurable remote control device and programmable functions for such a remote control which will enable one to learn, store and transmit infrared codes that are emitted from the remote control device for a remotely controlled apparatus. For example in the Wells 2 U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,887 and the Ehlers U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,848, there is disclosed a reconfigurable remote control device which has the ability to learn, store and repeat remote control codes from any infrared transmitter. Such a reconfigurable remote control transmitter device includes an infrared receiver, a microprocessor, a non-volatile random access memory (RAM), a scratch pad random access memory, and an infrared transmitter. According to the teachers of the Ehlers patent, the infrared signals received by the remote control device are bursts of pulses and the device counts the number of pulses in each burst as well as the time duration of each pulse in a transmission between bursts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,810, by Darby et al. discloses a universal remote control device having terminals for enabling code data to be supplied from outside the device to the terminals in the CPU to a RAM or ROM in the device.
The hand held remote controls of necessity have a finite number of keys and, because of the diversity of possible target devices, cannot offer a dedicated key for every possible function or feature. Accordingly, dedicated keys are generally only provided for those functions which are common to almost all devices (e.g. power, volume, channel up-down, etc.).
Also of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,022 by Segev. U.S. Pat. No. ""022 discloses a infrared communication system including a plurality of infrared transceivers for receiving and transmitting infrared signals through the free air. Each transceiver includes an omnidirectional infrared receiver for receiving infrared signals; an omni-directional infrared transmitter for transmitting infrared signals; and a controller which determines the direction of arrival and the quality of the signals received by the infrared receiver, and controls the respective infrared transmitter in accordance therewith.
The present invention includes a media system and a remote control for a media system. The media system includes a receiving device connected to receive one of at least two input sources, and at least one input device which is connected to provide, or function as, at least one of the two input sources. The remote control includes a hand held case including a receiver mode key and input system mode keys. The remote also includes a plurality of device control keys and a function key. A first means is provided for placing the remote control in a receiver system mode such that operation of the plurality of device control keys will effect operation of the receiving device. Select means for selecting the input source for the receiving device is also provided.
A remote control is provided which is adapted to effect operation of a receiver device. The receiver is adapted to receive a plurality of signals from input sources. The signals include signals from input devices. Other input sources may be radio and television signals, and the like. The remote is further adapted to effect operation of first, second and third input devices. The remote includes a case having a receiver key, and first, second and third device keys. Each key is operably connected to activate a corresponding receiver mode, and first, second, and third device modes. The case further includes a plurality of device control keys operably connected to effectuate responses in the receiver, and the first, second, and third devices when in a respective corresponding mode. For example, the device keys will control the first device when the remote/system is in the first device mode. The remote may be placed in the first device mode by depressing the first device mode key. Other means for effecting same are discussed below. The case will also include a function key operably connected to select one of the input sources. This input source is preferably selected from an input select table. The input select table may contain the input devices and other input sources.
The present invention also provides an improved media system. The media system includes a receiver device, and first and second input devices. The receiver device is adapted to receive a plurality of input signals. The first and second input devices are connected to supply respective input signals to the receiver. A remote control is programmed to effectuate responses in the receiver device, and the first and second input devices. The remote control includes a receiver mode key, a first input mode key, and a second input mode key. Mode programming, which is responsive to the mode keys, is programmed to activate corresponding modes in the remote control. Select programming is programmed to effectuate configuration responses in the receiver device. In some applications benefits are achieved by activating both mode programming and select programming with a single key stroke. The select programming includes an input-select table including the first and second input devices. The receiver device may then be configured to receive a selected input signal from one of the input devices, or other input sources, in the input select table. The remote may also include a function key, wherein the select programming is responsive to the function key. Operation of the function key may then be used to effectuate configuration responses in the receiver when the corresponding mode is active.
The media system may be optimized for a particular application. In one application the media system is an audio system and the receiver is a tuner. The input devices may, for example, be compact disc players, tape deck, and the like.
In another embodiment of the invention, the remote control provided includes signal generating circuitry. The function key is operably connected to the signal generating circuitry. The signal generating circuitry generates a receiver configuration signal to configure a receiver to receive input from one of the input sources.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a simplified remote control.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a non-numeric remote for an audio system.
Another object is to provide input selection on the remote via a single key, even when the device does not support single key input. For instance, a single remote key can replace multiple discrete device input selection keys.
Yet another object is to provide means for managing a media system. A further object is to manage the media system by providing a convenient method, and device, for managing input sources.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed discussion of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings and claims.